Markey, other Democrats call for increased fuel aid

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US Representative Edward J. Markey joined with other House Democrats on Tuesday to reintroduce legislation to expand funding for residential heating assistance before the so-called sequester kicks in.

Markey and four other New England lawmakers, including James McGovern of Massachusetts, are seeking increased funds for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program that helps thousands of Bay State families and millions across the country.

According to a report released earlier this month by Markey, the automatic cuts would reduce energy assistance funds by $6.7 million this year in Massachusetts. That’s on top of cuts that already reduced the year’s budget for the state to $132.7 million from $160 million, ­according to the community advocacy group Action for Boston Community Development.

About 50,000 residents of the Commonwealth who use costly oil heat have already run through their assistance allotments, according to ABCD.

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